10

Citrus Fruits

From Around The World Beyond Lemons

You only need to think of how a lemon tastes for your face to scrunch up. The tangy touch of lemon can elevate dishes and drinks and even add a zesty aroma to desserts. But it can also leave a sour taste in your mouth, literally, if used in excess. However, it’s not the only ingredient with this quality. Here are ten citrus fruits from across the globe that deliver tang, zest, and everything else in between. 

Though originally from China, this golden yellow (and orange when intensely ripe) fruit resembles a lemon in colour and an Indian orange in shape. It’s intensely aromatic, tart, and floral, and thus commonly used in beverages, desserts, marinades, and even personal care products. It’s one of the key ingredients in Ponzu, a citrus-soy sauce often used for dipping and Yuzushu, a traditional yuzu liqueur made by macerating yuzu with sake (or any other alcohol base) and sugar.

Mandarin is the most widely spoken language in the world, and also the name of this orange variety! One of the original citrus fruits native to China, the mandarin orange is smaller and flatter than a regular orange, with a bright orange peel that's easy to remove. It is sweet, juicy, and low in acidity, making it a popular snacking fruit. Beyond being eaten fresh, mandarins are commonly used in salads, desserts, jams, and sauces. Their fragrant zest is also used in baking and confectionery.

Not to perpetuate stereotypes, but an Italian fruit having blood in its name definitely rings a bell! Developed in the Mediterranean region, particularly Sicily in Italy, the blood orange gets its name because of its crimson-red flesh (and nothing else). The fruit combines the sweetness of an orange with subtle berry-like notes reminiscent of raspberry or cherry. Blood oranges are frequently used in cocktails, salads, sorbets, marmalades, and desserts, where their dramatic colour becomes part of the appeal.

Native to Southeast Asia, the pomelo fruit is the largest citrus fruit in the world and one of the ancestors of the grapefruit, though the two look very different. The flavour is sweet and mild with only a hint of bitterness, making it less sharp than grapefruit. It also has a thick greenish-yellow rind (and not the orange of grapefruit) and flesh that can range from white to pink or red. Pomelo is commonly eaten fresh, added to salads, or paired with seafood in Southeast Asian cuisine.

With a name like that, you should definitely not expect a run-of-the-mill fruit now, should you? Believed to have originated in northeastern India or China, Buddha's Hand is one of the most unusual-looking citrus fruits, resembling a cluster of yellow fingers. Unlike most citrus fruits, it contains little to no pulp or juice and is valued almost entirely for its intensely fragrant peel. Its floral, lemon-like aroma makes it popular for candies, liqueurs, desserts, perfumes, and even as a natural room freshener.

If pomelo is the largest citrus fruit, then kumquats, native to China, are among the smallest citrus fruits. In fact, they are so small that they are typically eaten whole. Their bright orange peel is surprisingly sweet, while the flesh inside is tart and tangy, creating a unique sweet-sour contrast in every bite. Kumquats are commonly candied, preserved, made into marmalades, or used as garnishes for cocktails and desserts.

Often mistaken for an orange, a tangerine fruit shares colours but is definitely not the same. Named after the city of Tangier in Morocco, the tangerine is a type of mandarin orange known for its deeper orange colour and rich aroma. Sweeter and slightly less acidic than many oranges, it is prized for its juicy segments and easy-to-peel skin. Tangerines have a deeper tang than oranges (that can even be sweet in some cases) and thus, are used in desserts to bring in layered flavours.

Originating in Algeria, the clementine is a small citrus fruit that has become famous for being virtually seedless and exceptionally easy to peel. Its deep orange flesh is sweet, juicy, and low in acidity, making it particularly popular with children. Clementines are often eaten fresh, packed into lunchboxes, or used in fruit salads and light desserts. Surprisingly, it’s also the name of a character in the video game series The Walking Dead.

If you’ve enjoyed a Paloma cocktail, then you are familiar with the signature sweet-tartness of a grapefruit. Originating in Barbados as a natural hybrid between a pomelo and a sweet orange, grapefruit is known for its large size and distinctive taste. Depending on the variety, the flesh may be white, pink, or ruby red. The fruit is commonly eaten fresh, juiced, grilled, or added to salads, where its slight bitterness helps balance richer ingredients.

Though native to Southeast Asia, the Key lime is most closely associated with the Florida Keys in the United States. Smaller than the common Persian lime, it has a thin skin that turns yellow when fully ripe. The flavour is intensely aromatic, tart, and acidic, making it the defining ingredient in the famous Key Lime Pie as well as marinades, cocktails, and seafood dishes.

Clearly, lemon is just the tip of the tangy trail of citrus fruits that exist across the globe. And this list includes only a fraction of the varieties! Some fruits suit drinks and desserts, others are enjoyed in salads and marinades, and then there are a few that are best enjoyed fresh. The only thing common? A burst of flavour.